Crafting the hard way since 2013

I am the type of crafter that sees something and wants to replicate it but at the same time make it my own. If i can make it for a 10th of the price or less i am going to do it. A lot of times if i see knitted items at the store, i know that i can make them but the time and the materials so do not compare to the $20.00 that i would spend on it. But i do enjoy the questions if i made it.

This originally is made by Carpenterjames.com

But since moving into my new apartment i wanted to establish a style. My bf and i have been a mismatch of style for the past 3 years. I have become obsessed with mason jars, pallets, wine crates and anything vintage and rustic, Especially burlap. Which i showed with the tree skirt in an earlier post. I am calling my style. Mason Dixon cozy. And i am making it my own. While browsing some websites I came across this photo and fell in love with the table and painting.

I knew that my Dad could definitely make the table. I found where this table could be purchased. And it was almost $1000. I believe we spent $180 on all of the wood and the stain. The time it took however was priceless. I believe that i stained the table and 4 benches that he made for 10 hours in one day and he poly’d it which took 6 hours and that is not including all of the time that he spent building it.

So the first thing that I started with was the painting. I had an old canvas that i had painted horribly a painting in college where i first learned how to use oil paint. Now i was not aware that you had to use something to saturate it and was not aware that it does not dry very fast. So this was pretty much a disaster which i do not even want to share. So i painted over it being sure to prime it first. And used acrylic because i can use water to saturate the paint. I worked on distressing by using a very watered down brown until i got the look that i wanted. It is not an exact replica but it is mine. I wrapped the edges with a 1 1/2″ burlap ribbon which one roll covered it all. And i attached the ribbon using upholstery nails that resembled railroad spikes. So here is my take on that painting.

The background which was the most fun.

And the finished painting.

Now for the table. It is very impressive. And it is indestructible.

This is after the staining

And here it is in our new home!

I’d say we did a great job and make a pretty good team. So we are enjoying the table very much since we have not had a table in 3 years. We make be taking orders soon!